Its scientifically confirmed: eating fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes, fish, and whole-fat dairy can slash your risk of cardiovascular disease and even death. This is backed by a massive long-term study (click for full text) published by European Heart Journal (Oxford University Press) involving 245,000 people from 80 countries.
Background:
80 Countries, 245,000 People, 9.3 Years: That is what is called Global Research
The study was part of the PURE (Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology) project. Researchers developed a diet score based on six key food categories.
Result: 40% Lower Risk. People with the highest diet scores had a 40% lower risk of dying compared to those with the lowest scores.
So here are the food categories:
1.Fruits 🍏:
Rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Help combat oxidative stress and inflammation, which are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Regular fruit consumption is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and overall mortality. We recommend always consuming fruits on an empty stomach and waiting at least 30 minutes before taking other food.
·What Fruits: green apples, bananas, all sorts of berries, papaya, dragon fruit.
2.Vegetables 🥦:
Packed with nutrients and fiber and low in calories. Support digestive health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and help maintain a healthy weight. Fiber in vegetables helps with colon health, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal diseases like IBS and spastic bowel.
·What are Vegetables: leafy greens, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
3.Nuts 🥜:
Incorporating fats, protein and fibe in nuts form into your diet can support heart health by decreasing cholesterol levels and diminishing inflammation. Nuts are also beneficial, for feeling full which aids in managing weight.
·What Nuts: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, and peanuts.
4.Legumes 🌱:
·Plant-based protein, fiber, essential nutrients. It's all about normalizing blood sugar levels, improving digestion, and as a result reducing the risk of heart disease. And it prevents bloating and indigestion due to a high fiber content.
·What Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and peas.
5.Seafood 🐟:
·Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for heart health. Helps reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke. Including fish in your diet supports overall cardiovascular health.
·What Fish: salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, anchovies, herring, trout, tuna (especially Albacore).
6.Dairy 🧀:
Provide calcium, vitamin D, and healthy fats. Contrary to past beliefs, a lot of recent studies we see suggest that dairy can be beneficial for heart health. It helps in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and supports overall metabolic health.
·What Dairy: greek yogurt, goat cheese, ghi butter.
The Score:
So its pretty straightforward: the more you consume these six key foods, the higher your diet score and the lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Each food group provides unique benefits, contributing to a well-rounded and nutritionally dense diet.
From the natural remedies side, you can try Colon Tonic from Naturopathic Doctor Marco Sikaffy, used for more than 40 years to naturally support your digestion and prevent common gastrointestinal diseases, including IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
Making it simple, when you buy groceries, think of it as buying heart, health span, longevity, and life. Once again: fruits (on an empty stomach), vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, dairy, natural remedies.
